Blade-sharpening mechanism



C. A. STRAND.

BLADE SHARPENING MECHANISM.

APPLICATxoN FILED sEPT.27. 1920.

1,427, l 3G. Patented Aug. 29, 1922.v

CHARLES fs. STRAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BLADE-SHARPENING MECHANISM. U

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, i922.

Application filed September 27. 1920. Serial No. 413,012.

T 0 all whom t may concern Be it known that l, CHAnLEs A. STRAND, a citizen of thev United States, residingin Chicagmin the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain nev7 and useful Improvements in Blade-Sharpening Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of blade sharpening mechanisms having a hone member and blade-supporting mechanism operatively connected with the honemember and adapted to movably support a blade in triftional engagement with and in the desired predetermined angular or inclined position with respect to the surface of `the hone member during the operation ol' sharpening the blade.

The principal object of the invention yis to provide a simple, economical and etiicient blade-sharpening mechanism adapted to enable razor blades, or similar blades, to be sharpened with facility and in an etticient manner.

.fi further object of the invention isto provide a blaclesharpening mechanism having a hone member and blade-supporting and guiding mechanism operatively connected with the hone member all so constructed and arranged as to enable blades to be inserted in andremoved Yfrom the blade-supporting clan'iping mechanism with facility, inovably supported in irictional engagement with and in the desired predetermined angular or inclined position with respect to the surface of the hone member, and readily inverted and held with tirst one side and then the other ot the edge ot the blade in 'trictional engagement with the hone member while the body oi the blade is removably but securely held between invertible inclined clamping jaws which arc hinged. to or pivotally connected with a reciprocating supporting` member and have an inclined axis supporting stem or pivot which is normally disposed at an oblique angle with respect to the blade-engaging sui-tace of the hone. y

Other and further objects oi the invention will appear from the following description and claims, and from an inspection oit the accompanyingdrawings, which made a part ot this speciiication,

The invention consists in the features, combinations, arrangement ot parts, and deis a view in side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3, is a view in vertical transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the hinged or pivoted blade-supporting mechanism in raised position in broken lines, as the same would appear during the operation of inverting the inclined pivoted blade-supporting clamping jaws and the blade supported thereby;

Fig. 4, is an enlarged View in longitudinal vertical section, taken on line L -t of Fig. l. looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the construction of the clamping jaws provided with an inclined axle or stem the axial center of which is normally inclined and dis nosed at an oblique angle with respect to the blade-engaging surface or' the hone member, and atan oblique angle with respect to the path of movement of the blade and jaws during the operation of sharpening a blade. j Said figure also shows the threaded sleeve or nut with its tapered or conical end portion in engagement with a lever arm on one of the clamping jaws, for tightening or loosening the clamping jaws; and l F ig. 5 is a detail view of thel adjustable and slidable supporting' member upon which the blade-supporting jaws are invertibly or pivotally mounted, and shows the means for securing said slidable member in different predetermined inclined positions. v

Fig. 6, is a detail view of a modification, anc shows the clamping aws provided with a cam orl eccentric engaging the lever for operating the clamping jaw, and 'Fig 7 is a detail taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6, showing the eccentric sleeve on the stem.

In constructing a blade-sharpening mechanism or device in accordance with my invention I .provide a hone member 1 having a preferably flat top surface adapted to rictionally engage the edge ot a razor blade or other blade or tool to be sharpened.-

lThis hone member is 'formed of suitable abrasive material, such as a fiat plate or block of steel, iron or other suitable metal,

I or line compact stone, slate or suitable com# Jfor instance/as talcum powder intermixed with a suitable liquid, such `as oil, lather or water, or other suitable abrasive material in iinelyfdivided or powdered form `and intermixed with suitable liquid, may be used to advantage and with success to form lthe hone; and that such a hone `termed of metal,

preferably Isteel or iron, and having suitable f liquid r liquid and powdered abrasive matei'ial such :as fine talcum powder spread thereon is 'economical and eihcient in constructionv and operation, and very durable, and not liable I'to 'Wear away unevenly or in such `manner as to form an undesirab'ly uneven blade` engagingl or sharpening sur-- face. The cutting edge 'ol' ythe blade to be sharpened is thus vkept in veXactly the desired shape and n'ct sharpened unevenly by reasdn of any irregularities inthe surface of vthe hone, orany lack of uniformity in the material of which the hone is formed.

I Ajbase 2, which vmay be made of sheet metal, is provided, and, :by i'ji'eference, so formed as to provide a marginal channel or groove 3 around the outer edge of the hone meinberl, said hone member' being secured to the base by 'means ofscre'ws or rivets 4f, or `other suitable securing means. The channel '3 is adapted. to receive and contain any luid orr other material which may drip over the edges or escape from 'the surface of the hone member 1.

My improved blade-supporting and 'guiding' mechanism is constructed and operatively connected with the hone 'member as 'fol-lows:

l A guide which is, by preference, in the form ofa horizontal .guide rod `or track operatively connected with the hone member 1 by means of Aa suitable metallic support or bracket 6 secured to or formed in one integral' piece 'with the sheet vmetal base 2 already described, and having' upwardly projecting' end portions 7 and 8 provided with openings or. sockets 'into 'which the cor responding ends of the guide rod 'are in serted, is mounted in position to extend in parallel relation to and, by prefe're'nce, adjacent` to and above thelevel of one ot the lonpjitudinal margins or side edges of the 6.0 i

hone )member 1, and endwise beyond lone end of the hone member so as to form a support andl guide for the movable or `reci1n-ocatinfr blade supporting mechanism hereinafter more particularly,'described. y

Slidably and 'pivotally mounted upon or supported by the guide rod 5 is an angular bracket 9 which is, by preference, formed of sheet metal bent to form a sleeve or tubular portion 10 having a horizontal opening or bore adapted toadmit and slidably engage the guide rod 5, so as to permit the bracket member to be raised from the position in which it is shown in full lines i'n Fig. 3, to the position in which it is shown in broken lines in said figure, and lowered from such raised position into positionto support and guide lthe blade-clamping mechanism in a straight uniform path which is exactly lparallel with the blade-engaging abrasive or top surface uoir' the hone member 1. The bracket 9 has a depending` upright portion 11, to which is adjustably attached a sleeve or adjustable clampsupportingn socket inember 12 having at its lower extremity inclined socket, sleeve or tubular portion 13 provided `with an opening or bore 14s therethroughwhich is disposed at an oblique 'angie with respect to the axial center Vor axis ot the sleeve 10 at the upper extremity oit' the bracket 9. This adjustable sleeve member 12 has a flat upright upper main body lp0rtion which is provided with an opening 14 (see Fig. 5) preferably in the' form-ot a slightly curved 'segmental slot through which extends a `headed adjusting screw `15 which is mounted `upon the upright portion 11 of the bracket l9, Ito which said screw maybe secured by means of a threaded nut 16, or by any ordinary and well known securing means, such as a lthreaded opening` in the part 11 in threaded engagement with the screw 15. lt is obvious that the screw l15 may be' anchored in either of the vrelatively adjustable parts 11, and 12, as desired.' And the part 12 may be connected with. the part 11 by means oit' a pivot pin 16 d irectly below the segmental slot,'adapted to permift'the sleeve member v12 to be adjusted lto any desired angular or inclined position with 'respect to the bracket 9, the guiding rod 5 an( the surface. ot the hone member 1. A handle 17 on the upper extremity oi the Aadjustable clamp supportingA bracket member 12 and fixed to vthe bracket 9, serves asa convenient means upon which to apply the desired pressure for holding `the 'blade against thesurtace of the hone in the operation of sharpening` such blade. It also serves as a convenient means for ,raising and lowering the bracket 9, andthe lbladesu'pporting and guide mechanism, when the clampingmechanism and blade are to be inverted. as hereinafter more particularly'described.

My improved blade-'clamping mechanism is constructed as follows:

A. ilat "lower clamping jaw 18 is provided,

rearwardly inclined axle, stem or pivot 2O fixed to and projecting upwardly and rearwardly from the center of the rear margin of said jaw, and, by preference, integral with the jaw. This stem is rotatively mounted in the inclined sleeve 13 of the adjustable bracket member 12 already described, and is provided with an annular shoulder 21 at the front extremity of said sleeve and adapted to limit the backward movement of the stem and clamping jaw with respect to the sleeve. The rear portion of the stem 2O is provided with a screw thread 21. Upon this rear threaded portion of the Stem which projects rearward beyond `the rear edge of the sleeve 13, is mounted a threaded clamping nut or sleeve 22 having a tapered or conical front end portion 23; and an upper clamping jaw 24 is mounted directly over and in substantially parallel relation to the lower jaw 18. Pivotally connected with the latter by means of side lugs 25 fixed to the opposite side margins of the upper jaw and provided with horizontal perforations through which extend corresponding pivot pins or hinge members 26 fixed to the corresponding side margins of the lower jaw, is an upper jaw 24 having a blade-engaging lip 26 at its front edge in parallel relation to the lip 19 of the lower jaw and in position to admit and removably hold between said jaws a razor blade 27, or other blade or tool to be sharpened. The upper blade-clamping jaw* 24 has an upwardly and rearwardly projecting stem or lever arm 28 fixed to the rear extremity of said jaw and projecting upward and rearward from the center of the rear margin of the jaw over the sleeve 13 and back of the pivots 26 into position to be engagedv by the tapered or conical forward end portion of the nut 22 already described. 1t is obvious that by turning the nut 22 on the threaded stem 20 in one direction the rear end of the lever or stem 28 of the upper clamping jaw 24 will be raised, thus causing the clamping jaws to close tightly in engagement with the blade located therebetween; and that the rotation of said nut or sleeve 22 in an opposite direction will loosen or permit the jaws to be opened, and the blade to be removed, and another placed between the jaws, to be operated upon. A shield 29 of spring metal of sufiicient length to extend from end to end of any blade to be sharpened, and having connected top and bottom flanges adapted to engage the top and bottom faces of the blades to be sharpened, and having a rear hollow sleeve portion 30 adapted to cover and protect the rear edge of any blade to be sharpened, is fixed to the rear edge of the blade before the latter is placed between the clamping jaws. This shield 29 may be lined with suitable material, so as to protect the edge of the blade, and prevent it from coming into contact with the clamping` jaws, or any metallic parts which might injure the edge of the blade.

From the foregoing description and drawings, it will be seen that the clamping jaws are at all times held at the proper predetermined angle or inc-line in oblique relation to the path of movement of the bladesupporting mechanism and blade during the movement of the latter as it is moved backward and forward lengthwise of the hone and of the uide bar or track 5, during the operation o sharpening the blade; that the track or guide rod 5, being fixed in parallel relation to the abrasive or blade-engaging surface of the hone, is adapted to guide the movable blade-supporting and clamping mechanism, and blade in a straight path lengthwise of the hone and vin parallel relation to the liat top surface of the hone; and that the stem or axle 2O fixed to the lower clamping jaw is so constructed that its axial center is at an incline with respect to the track 5 and in the same plane with the center of the blade to be sharpened, and thus adapted to enable the blade to be readily inverted, and supported and guided with first one side and then the other of the edge of the blade in frictional vengagement with and at the proper predetermined oblique angle with respect to the blade-engaging surface of the hone, in the operation of sharpening the blade. The clamping jaws are adapted to be opened and closed with facility by the turning of the clamping nut or sleeve 22 upon the stem 20, thus enabling the blades to be removedwhen sharpened, and other blades to be placed in position and held between the jaws and moved back and forth or reciprocated lengthwise of the track and hone, while being pressed against the latter with the desired tension or pressure during the operation of sharpening the blades.

1n Fig. 6 is shown a modified form of my improved blade sharpening mechanism having an eccentric or cam sleeve 31 rotatively mounted on the stem 2O of one of the clamping jaws, and provided with an eccentric or cam portion 32 in engagement with the adjacent end portion of the lever 28, for operating the lever to close the aws when the eccentric is in one position, and adapted to permit the lever to swing on its pivots toward the stem, so as to permit the clamping jaws to open and release the blade, when the eccentric is turned half a revolution from j aw-closing position. 'The eccentric or cam sleeve has an axial opening adapted to admit the head or annular end collar 33 on the stem 20, which is formed on the end of the stem to prevent the eccentric or cam sleeve from escaping from its operative position upon and rotative with .respect to the stem. f

l claim: w

1. ln a blade-sharpening device oi the class described, the combination'ot la hone, a pivo-'ted supporting member operatively 'connected with and movable longitudinally with :respect to the honev and adapted to be swung in a plane transverse to the direction 'of relative movement of said supporting member longitudinally ot the hone, an inclined bearing on the tree end of said pivoted longitudinally movable supporting member and normally inclined with respect to vfthe blade-'engaging surface oft the hone, a 'pair of operatively connected inclined invertible blade-clamping jaws having opposed lower blade-engaging margins extending transversely with respect to the hone and the path of `relative movement of said pivoted supporting member longitudinally foi the hone, and adapted `to support an `inclined blade between said jaws in` transverse relation to `and in lfrictional engagement with the surface of the hone, an' inclined axial supporting stem fixed to one `oi said ljaws and extending at an angle with respect to the lower blade-engaginomargins of' the jaws yand mounted in anc in 'freely rotative engagement withl said inclined bearing, and operating means on said'axial stem and operatively connected with theother one oi said jaws, for securingjsaid invertible jaws in clamping engagement with a blade located therebetween. I

21In blade-sharpening device of the class described, the combination of a lione, a 4guiding trac-k in fixed relation to and extending longitudinally' along a side margin of the hone,a supporting member extending transverselyoif the lhone and provided with a lbearing thereon vei'i'circling and in longitudinally movable engagement'k with said track and forming a pivotal connection between said supporting member and trac-k adapted to permit said supporting member to `be swung upon its axis Atransversely with respect tothe track and lwith respect to the direction of movement of said supporting member longitudinally of the track and hone,r an inclined bearing von said pivoted supporting member, the axial center otsaid inclined bearing being in oblique relation to :and in a plane substantially parallel with the vaxial center of said track-encircling bearing and normally inclined with respect to the blade-engaging surface ofthe hone, a pair ol operatively connected blade-clamp ing jaws having opposed lower blade-engaging margins normally transverse to the hone andthe direction ot' movement of said pivotedv 'supporting member longitudinally of the track and hone, an axial stem in supporting engagement with said aws and in 'freely rotative engagement with and extendingthrough said'inclined bearing and in concentric relation to the same, and `jawreet/,13ey

operating means supported upon .saidy vinclined axial stem and operativelyconnected with the -clamping jawlnechanism, for holding theV jaws 4in clamping engagement with a 'blade located therebetween, and adapted to permit the aws and blade .to be inverted as desired. f

in a blade-clamping device o'f the class describecbthe lcomlaifnation .ota hone, a reciprocating sup-porting member operatively connected with and slidable longitudinally of the hone, a pair of voperatively connected inclined blade-clamping jaws having opposed lower blade-engaging margins extending transversely with respect to-the-hone and with respect to the path ot reciprocat ing movementoi 4said reciprocating mem; ber, and havingl an inclined transverse bladecontaining space between rsaid jaws and. adapted to admitA ablade located `in an' in clined plane transverse to and in frictionalengagement with vthe surface of the lione, an inclined axial'stemlixed to one loli-said jaws and having its axial ycenter inthe same inclined plane withsaid inclinedbfla'de-containing 'space and in rotative engagement with 4said reciprocating Asupporting member, a lever fixed to 'the other one of said clampino jaws and adapted to rotate with said-inc ined axial stem part way around the inclined axia'l'center ofthe same, to permit the jaws to be inverted, and "lever-op- @rating means on said stem and inoperative engagement with said lever,` torholding the invertible jaws in clamping engagement with a blade.

a. 1n a blade-sharpening device oit the class described, the combination ot a hone member, a reciprocating supporting member pivot-ally mounted in movable'relation to andfoperatively connected with said hone member, said pivoted supporting member having an inclined bearing the axial center ot which is oblique with respect to the surtace of the hone member, a `air of pivotally connected blade-clamping jaws having op-. posed lower blade-engaging marginsr transverse to the hone and in transverse relation to the direction of reciprocating movement 'of the pivoted reciprocating supporting member, an inclined axial stem fixed yto one of said jaws and mounted i-n 'Freely-rotative engagement with said inclined bearing in said reciprocating member, a lever fixed to the other one ot said clampingI jaws and exmk tending longitudinally 'ot `said stem and bearing, said lever being rotatable with the inclined stem part way around the axial center of the same, to permit the jaws to'be inverted, and lever-operating means mounted on the stem and inoperative engagement with said lever, for holding the clamping jaws in clamping engagement with a blade to be operatedupon; v

5. In a bladesha-rpening `device of the class described, the combination of a hone member, a guiding track attached to the hone member, a reciprocating supporting member pivotally connected with and movable longitudinally of said track, and provided with a sleeve-shaped socket having its axial center in oblique relation to said track and in inclined position with respect to the blade-engaging surface ol said hone member, a pair of relativelyw movable connected clamping jaws having their lower blade-engaging edges transverse to the hone member and in transverse relation to the path of movement of said reciprocating pivoted supporting member and socket, an inclined axle lixed to one of said jaws and journaled in said inclined sleeve, a. lever liXed to the other of said clamping jaws and extending on the outside of and longitudinally with respect to said sleeve-shaped socket, and adapted to rotate part way around the sleeve-shaped socket, to permit the to be inverted, and lever-operating means mounted on said axle and in engagement with saidv lever, for holding the clamping jaws in clamping engagement with a blade to be operated upon.

6. In a blade-sharpening device of the class described, the combination of a hone member, a guiding track connected with the hone member, a reciprocating supporting member pivotally mounted and operatively connected with said track, and provided with a hollow supporting sleeve having its axial center in oblique relation to said track and in inclined position with respect to the blade-engaging surface of said hone member, a pair of relatively movable connected blade-clamping jaws having their lower blade engaging edges parallel to the honeengaging edge of a blade to be clamped therebetween and in transverse relation to the path cic movement or" said reciprocating pivoted supporting mechanism, an inclined axle fixed to one ot' said jaws and journaled in said inclined sleeve, a lever iixed to the other one of said jaws and extending longitudinally of said sleeve and adapted to rotate with the axle part way around the axial center of the same, to permit the clamp-ing jaws to be inverted, and an eccentric leveroperating member mounted on said axle and in operative engagement with said lever, for holding the invertible blade-clamping jaws in clamping engagement with a blade to be operated upon.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, September 11,

CHARLES A. STRAND. Witnesses:

ERIC J. STRAND, GUs'r OLSON. 

